Commissioned Activism
Unmuting the Mental Health Conversation
Stuart and Unmute were selected for the British Council and Unlimited Micro Award.
Unmute is the only full-time integrated company in South Africa, and Stuart worked with the Unmute dancers to open a safe, creative space for the exploration of mental health using his unique framework to facilitate a creative process that allows company members to safely explore the topic, using individual lived experiences as a rich source of creativity.
Move, Talk, Pride
As part of ‘Celebrating Pride in Suffolk’s Past’.
A collaboration with videographer Rosie Powell and members of Suffolk’s LGBT+ community, facilitated by DanceEast.
This project took place during the 2021 lockdown, and enabled Stuart to connect participants virtually to listen, share and explore LGBT+ stories. ‘Pride in Suffolk’s Past’ explores the hidden histories of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and gender non-conforming people in Suffolk’s past.
Due to legal and social repression these stories have all too often gone untold and this project contributed to their work. The final film was shared as a public way of using art activism to bring communities together and celebrate the LGBT+ community in Suffolk.
It was premiered as part of the Move Talk Pride Digital Evening on National Coming Out Day, and Stuart participated in a virtual panel discussion and Q&A with those involved in the project.
Me, My Body, and I
As part of the ‘Reimagine’ celebrations for Protein Dance.
Stuart created Me, My Body and I with the dancers from EncoreEast and in collaboration with Film Maker Alice Underwood, supported by DanceEast.
The dancers filmed their own individual responses to choreographic tasks enabling this thriving, energetic independent company of older dancers to be creative during the global pandemic.
Suffolk Pride
In June 2020 Stuart significantly contributed to Suffolk Virtual Pride celebrations. Due to Covid-19 this project embraced the social distancing measures that were in place at that time.
Stuart created ‘Suffolk Queer Portraits’ – photographing doorstep portraits of some of the members of our local queer community, alongside a quote from each of them about themselves.
Stuart also collaborated with filmmaker Rosie Powell on a ‘Parade from Home’ video that was launched during Pride week.
